Three weeks to go until the album launch gig (got your tickets yet?) and a little pile of press coverage has come in – mostly positive, the odd bit of “yeah she dropped the ball at that point”, but generally damn fine. Colour me pleased!

Let’s start with Tom Newton at Yorkshire Evening Post, who said in his review:

“This is a time capsule of an artist bringing life and light to not only their own experiences, but that of others. Personal yet accessible, tongue in cheek but with a stiletto firmly on the dancefloor, The Bleeding Obvious’ debut feels like a passport to a happy land.”

SleepingBagStudios in Canada wrote a generally positive track-by-track breakdown:

“Great depth, great ideas that are truly unique and a genuinely professional approach to making these songs spring to life with charisma, charm and real character.  Green light to this project – The Bleeding Obvious have certainly created authentic & entertainment with all kinds of new ideas for your ears to absorb.”

Indie music blog JamSphere had some nice long words to say:

“There’s great depth here, fantastic dance tracks, majestic melancholy and just brilliant pop music with a theatrical flavor that fits almost as well into today’s scene as it would have done 2 decades ago – and sometimes even more than that if you take into consideration retro tracks like “You and I (Always Fighting)” and “Not Dead (Yet)”.”

Another music review blog Beach Sloth Records wrote another track-by-track breakdown, albeit short and sweet, and had this to say about the whole thing inadvertently comparing it to an album by my favourite band:

“Reminiscent of Saint Etienne’s “So Tough” the way the songs unfurl is quite extraordinary. Narratives form throughout the album, of love, loss, and a sense of purpose. The hope that ties together the entire album serves as its greatest unifier, for it helps to further emphasize the warmth of the arrangements.”

Laundry Day Records wrote a review for their blog The Spin Cycle, making the suggestion:

“Upbeat in nature, the bass and drums pulse and sway, then snap back tight to the groove. Fun, smart lyrics, and full of class, this record is one you’ll want to leave in the car for those long drives, or in your kitchen for late night dance parties.”

Alongside the reviews, RidingsFM in Wakefield were the first non-Internet radio station to play a track (Splendid! in this case) and made The Bleeding Obvious their act of the week. Really pleased with that, most of the reviews have been outside the UK so it’s nice to have something close to home.

In terms of chatty stuff, I did an interview for LE Review Club where I talked about what made the album tick, how come the orchestra collaboration came about, what my favourite song on the album is, and what you might expect at the aforementioned launch gig. Finally there was a Q&A with On:Yorkshire Magazine where you get to find out what my musical indulgence might be.

You can preorder the album in digital format on iTunes and Amazon, and if you prefer physical media (vinyl or CD) or FLAC you can preorder a copy on Bandcamp.

Oh, and here’s a video – the final track on the album…

Splendid!